


In Flight

by HerbertBest



Category: Game Grumps
Genre: Alternate Universe - Wildlife Rehabilitaters, Awkward Flirting, Birds, Co-Workers to Friends to Girlfriends, F/F, Flirting, Getting Together, Kissing, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-07-03
Updated: 2017-07-03
Packaged: 2018-11-21 06:54:06
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 650
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11352165
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/HerbertBest/pseuds/HerbertBest
Summary: Holly's new co-worker at the Last Hope Rehab Center is a little strange and a lot sweet.  The kind of girl she could overcome her awkward inability to flirt for...





	In Flight

**Author's Note:**

  * For [TereziMakara](https://archiveofourown.org/users/TereziMakara/gifts).



> This was so much fun to write! I hope you like this treat!

The new girl liked to hang around her a lot. Not that Holly was going to complain about the extra attention being shown her, for the new girl was quite pretty, and had a number of interesting tattoos. She’d moved up from Florida after her taxidermy business had failed and was trying to earn her stripes as a vet tech – switching from dead animals to living ones, she’d joked at one point. She was interesting, which made her more than worth the effort spent just listening to her. And her name was Suzy, which made her sound like she escaped from a 1950s ad for dish washers, but somehow suited her.

She also didn’t mind being paid next to nothing, since Last Hope Wildlife and Bird Rehabilitation was a nonprofit. Holly realized she liked her for more than just that reason when they were settled together in the surgery room. Suzy could only observe a minor operation like this one, and was mainly using her energy to clean cages as Holly worked.

“So what do you call this buddy?” Suzy was standing with her nose pressed to the glass, sitting patiently by while Holly carefully wrapped the wing of the sedated pigeon. It would be her job to carry it back to its cage, where it would be properly watched over and hopefully released. 

“That’s a California Condor,” said Holly. “His name is Sonny, and he’s got an urpy tummy, so I’ve been keeping a close eye on him.”

“Oh neat. He’s almost as pretty as you are,” Suzy said, as casually as you please.

Holly’s jaw had dropped, but her hands had stayed steady. 

 

*** 

 

Suzy was a good helper – eager to listen and quite meticulous when it came to providing aid. Holly trusted her enough to sit on the floor with the rehabbing pigeon – she’d given it the random name of Popcorn the Third – and let it hop along the polished floor, making figure 8s and clicking its nails against the surface.

“Do you think he’ll be able to fly soon?” Suzy had asked.

“Maybe in a few months,” Holly said, gently gathering Popcorn up and carrying him back to his cage. 

“I can’t help but feel bad for him,” Suzy ruefully admitted. “I know what it’s like to want to run around and do crazy things but I couldn’t because of life. So I just went with the most traditional idea I could get my hands on.”

“Is that how you ended up in taxidermy?”

“No, modeling. But that’s another story.”

Anxiety formed a ball in Holly’s throat. “You’re a model? I mean, it’s really not surprising because you’” _of course she’s a model,_ her mind screamed at her, _you should’ve guessed that, look at her!_

“Were,” Suzy said. “But I don’t miss it. You mean you’ve never modeled? You’re super beautiful, I’m totally shocked!”

“Uh,” Holly squeaked out foolishly. “Um, that is – I don’t think I’m the high-fashion kind.”

Suzy grinned. “You’re really pretty, Holly. I wish you could see that.”

Holly felt like she could see it, honestly, with the way Suzy was watching her.

 

**** 

 

When it was time to let Popcorn go they went out into a big field behind the local elementary school. He took flight without a single look back at the people who had so tenderly cared for him – as was the way with all wild creatures, they quickly forgot their temporary mothers.

The two women watched their bird friend flutter away, silently contemplating its retreat. Then that quiet was broken. “I’m so happy for him,” Suzy said suddenly, and wrapped her arm around Holly’s shoulder.

“Me too,” Holly said, and grabbed Suzy’s hand, giving it a quick squeeze. Their eyes met, and a sudden shock of warmth danced down Holly’s spine.

The kiss that followed was very gentle, but like a bird taking flight there was strength and promise to it.


End file.
